All right.

Good morning.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Welcome to the Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners meeting for June 16th.

Uh Madeline, please call to order.

Commissioner Gable.

Commissioner Canterbury?

Here.

President Elbers.

Here.

Please join me for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic, or we should face one nation under God.

All right.

Good morning.

Uh let's um I'm gonna go out of order a little bit here with the agenda.

Um we're gonna move up old business first.

It says letter A, selection of county emergency medical services provided.

Um, I believe um we need to hammer out some more details on this decision, and I wanna um I want to make a motion on the floor that we uh allow some more time to hammer out those details, and I'd like to table that to the June 30th meeting and make that final decision.

Commissioners, anything else?

Comments well done.

I think it's a wise call at this point.

Agreed.

Second.

Commissioner Gable?

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury, yes, President Elpers.

Yes, all right.

Um moving on, action items.

The engineer, John, you here.

Number one, award bid VC 26 hyphen zero four hyphen zero two, Charlotte Avenue Pipe Replacement to Dyke Brothers Incorporated.

Dyke Brothers submitted the lowest bid at 94,609.

John, anything else on this?

This just replaces a section of storm sewer that failed out on Charlotte Avenue.

Okay, and they were the lowest bid.

Anything else, commissioners?

Motion to approve.

Commissioner Gable, Mr.

Canterbury, yes, President Elpers, yes.

Uh number two, uh change order number three, Boomburn Harmony Road Reconstruction.

This change orders for an increase of 204,719.81 cents as a result of the final material quantities needed to complete the project.

The majority of this was due to addressing unforeseen poor soil conditions in the area, which added 150,000 to the costs.

John, that summarizes basically the main part of the increase was the poor soil conditions.

Everything else was just the final increases and decreases on every item within the contract.

Thank you.

Motion to approve.

Commissioner Gable.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes, President Elbers.

Yes.

Number three, sidewalk waiver request request the neck the nest subdivision on Red Bank Road.

Theory plan commission recommended denial of this waiver request by a vote of five to two.

Is the petitioner here for this?

Not sure.

Not seeing any.

Is anyone here from area plan?

Don't see anyone.

It's odd.

Can I I'd like to know more?

So should uh I would maybe suggest a table.

Tabling.

Usually the petitioner's here for the save or waiver request, so I don't know.

I believe the owner of properties out of town.

Uh it's based out of town.

Lot mueller submitted it.

If you want to table it, I can contact Lock Mueller and see if they can provide someone, have someone available to be at the next meeting.

Have them and or the petitioner maybe can zoom in on teams or something at least as well, possibly.

Okay.

All right.

But at their meeting, I think they made it clear publicly that this would be considered today.

Is that right?

And but in the in the past, normally if the petitioner would come forward on a on a sidewalk waiver request, but they're not even present.

So, okay.

I'll go wrong.

I mean it's something we don't have to decide today.

That was my motion to table.

Motion to table.

I'll second.

Commissioner Gable.

That's fine, yes.

Mr.

Commissioner Canterbury, yes.

President Elpers.

Yes.

Number four, Indian Department of Transportation Letter of Understanding for official detour on local roads for State Road 57 project at Green River Road.

EndOT has a project plan to construct a single lane roundabout and sidewalk at this intersection.

So they are requesting to use Boomburn Harmony Road as the official detour during the closure, which is expected to last 60 to 90 days.

John, anything else?

No, this just allows uh endot to designate Boomville New Harmony off 69 as uh part of the detour for the project.

When would this be?

I don't have an exact schedule as of yet.

I thought it was sometime next year, but I'm not 100% certain.

I can check on that and I can send you an email.

Okay so we have a flashing yellow and a flashing red light there currently, and they're wanting to put a roundabout, correct?

Correct.

Gotcha.

Okay.

All right, motion to approve.

Craig, do you have a comment?

I was just gonna say um by entering this agreement.

This official this does provide for uh in dot to reimburse us for the extra wear and tear on the detour route.

Is that correct?

I'm not sure about how they evaluate wear and tear, but if there's damage, yes, it does provide that uh ability to get reimbursed.

So we probably need decent pictures beforehand and then pictures afterwards, right?

And dot has a specific process on the review of the detour prior to the project in order to document the conditions.

So yes, that will get done.

Good to know.

Thank you, Craig.

Is there a motion?

Yes.

Commissioner Gable, Commissioner Canterbury, yes, President Elperts.

Yes.

Number five, acceptance, acceptance of street improvements, Chase Drive at Hunter Chase subdivision.

Anything here, John?

This is just a small little cul-sac road on the east side of Green River, a little bit north of the soccer park.

Road itself was construction, was um pretty well completed several years ago.

They just had a few punch list items that they just have finished.

So it's been roads been used for years by the condo residents off the east end of the cul-sac and more recently the Dollar General.

Thank you.

Very thorough information you provided.

I'll make the motion to approve.

I'll say, but the road is starting to deteriorate a little bit.

Did you make it?

Part of the punch list items were that they need to do crack sealing, and they have done that.

There was really no visible signs that the pavement is aged.

It's definitely not brand new pavement, but the crack signaling was done, which was what was requested a few years ago.

Thank you.

Two seconds.

Commissioner Gable.

Commissioner Canterbury, yes, President Elpers.

Yes.

And final one number six, county right-of-way encroachment agreement with the U.S.

Geological Survey for Lynch Road over Pigeon Creek.

Craig, any details here?

Uh yeah, the Pigeon Creek Watershed Development Commission uh received a grant to purchase this stream gauge.

Um, they received the grant from the state.

They're actually purchasing it from USGS, the United States Geological Service.

Um, the USGS will continue to own and operate uh this stream gauge.

The stream gauge will be attached to the bridge at Lynch Road uh over uh Pigeon Creek and uh it will provide continuous measurements of water flow, water quality, uh, and all kinds of uh interesting facts about Pigeon Creek.

Data, data, uh day to day to data, it will be updated uh every 15 minutes via satellite and then posted on uh the USGS um you know system of uh and of course the watershed.

So we need uh this encroach that we the the Pigeon Creek Watershed Development Commission needs this encroachment agreement so that we can affix this tool to the bridge uh to get all this uh cool data.

So, Greg will that have the capability of uh counting the number of carp that are flowing through the area.

I don't know if CARP is on the uh is on that is part of its measuring data, but uh it would be nice if it could you know prevent them from that's just joke, thank you.

That's progress.

Thank you, Craig.

I'll make the motion to approve.

Commissioner Gable?

Yes, Commissioner Canterbury, yes, President Elpers.

Yes, thank you, John.

Thanks.

Thanks, John.

Moving on, health department, Joe's here.

Amendment amendment number one to the Indian Department of Health Grant Agreement, contract number nine four four two three.

This is an increase of the original contract by 25,000 for a total of 45,000.

The health department utilizes this funding for emergency preparedness in case of events such as natural disasters and environmental hazards.

Anything else, Joe?

No, you'll probably see these once a year for the next foreseeable future.

Uh they don't want to redo the contract, they just want to send amendments with the additional funding.

Like that.

More money, more money.

Motion to approve.

Commissioner Gable.

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes.

President Elpers.

Yep.

Uh number two.

First reading of ordinance number CO.06, hyphen 26 hyphen 012, establishing the non-reinverting health promotion program fund.

Uh Joe, anything else here?

No, uh, this we've done these in the past.

The commissioners um have approved these.

Uh this is a kind of an additional new funding stream for our health promotions division.

They're able to bill Medicaid for the services that they provide to certain folks, and so that funding we want to be able to put in here.

The county council will budget.

We'll be able to use that to expand our our reach for these different programs.

So, and the request here is to do it in a uh final reading today.

Correct.

Um, that's I'm I'm I'm I'm good either way.

Okay.

I don't see any objection there.

So I'll make the motion to approve CO.06-26-012 on the first reading.

Commissioner Gable.

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes, President Elpers.

And I guess I could have said, okay.

Sorry about that.

That's right.

Then I'll make the motion to approve CO.06-26-01T2 on the second and final reading.

And do we have any well the technically I think we need a motion to s waive the rules so that we can read it in one day.

Um, to call it a first and a second, it's semantics, but okay, it's a just clear.

She needed to rescind that.

I need to rescind my motion and we will make a motion to wave second second reading.

Yes, thank you.

So there are a second.

Okay.

Is there any go ahead?

Oh, sorry.

Commissioner Canterbury?

Yes.

Is there any public comment or anything going on?

So Joe, you're pretty much in favor of this, I take it.

Uh yes, we submitted it.

We asked, we requested it.

So that came over your desk.

Thank you.

Yeah, thank you.

I see no public comment.

Commissioner Gable.

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury.

Yes, President Elpers.

Yes.

Thank you, Joe.

Letter C jigsaw digital strategies uh project project quotation for logo development.

Uh, as part of the county's website transition from eGov to Civic Plus, this is for the development of a new updated county logo.

Jigsaw will complete this by June 19th at no cost or at a cost not to exceed $6,400.

Commissioner Canterbury, I know you've been helping on this.

Sure.

Sure.

Um, you know, our uh contract with EGUB does expire at the end of this year.

So we did enter to a contract with Civic Plus to update the website and then what we're the uh while the city also has done a refresh of their logo.

We felt that we should do the same.

So uh we're working with Jigsaw and they've come up with some really good ideas even to this point.

We wanted to make it compliment because we'll still have a landing page where the city and the county go uh land together, but we'll just be a different vendor and bottom line is ours looked a little old.

Um so uh I think it'll be nice to to bring some color to it and just to update the image.

So we've got a couple of ideas already floating through and we will have something going on real soon here this week.

Thank you, Commissioner.

I'll make the motion uh approve before I approve.

I but we're gonna any county resident or city resident can go to the very same site and then you get to choose from county and city as we do.

Correct.

This is the approval of the logo, but that yes, our website the way the landing page will be similar to what it is today, just and using a different vendor, so they can make that choice.

Thank you.

Second.

Commissioner Gable, Commissioner Canterbury, yes, President Elpers.

Yes.

Letter D, resolution number CO.r.

Six, hyphen 26, 015.

Resolution adopting the city of Evansville, Town of Darmstadt, Vanderburgh County, multi-hazard mitigation plan committee process concerning the updated five-year plan.

This plan identifies potential natural hazards and they treat our pose to our community so that we can collect data, develop future implementation plans when a disaster occurs.

Updating this plan is required by the city and the county to continue participating in the national flood insurance programs, community rating system, and adoption of the plan is required to apply for and receive FEMA funding.

Is Cliff you here?

You want to come on up and just give us a few details on this.

Sorry, Cliff.

Okay.

Gotta get your steps in.

Yeah.

Appreciate this being approved today.

This resolution helps us comply with the FEMA requirements.

Every five, six years, we have to go through the process to update our county, city county plan that has been done.

The state has reviewed our draft.

FEMA has reviewed our draft.

The final step is this resolution.

And like you said, it'll help us comply with projects down the road for hazard mitigation grants.

And also county residents will probably get a little better discount on their flood insurance and things like that.

So a few years from now, we'll start the new process for the next five, six years.

So I appreciate the resolution.

As soon as I get my hands on it today, I'll send it back to Indianapolis.

It's been a little delayed this year because of the federal shutdown and FEMA hasn't been working.

So we just got the approval a couple weeks ago.

So we need to get the resolution to finalize it.

Well, Cliff, we appreciate you.

You're on top of things all the time.

So there's a I appreciate you guys' help.

Also, I want to thank Linda in the watershed and you guys doing the water gauge.

That's something I've been wanting for a long time too.

So anytime there's emergency or hazardous weather coming, you're always alerting us and letting us know what's going on.

So we appreciate that.

So thank you.

Commissioner Gable, anything?

No, I think this is basically just an update though, correct?

The current draft is on the city website.

Uh it's been reviewed.

We've had public meetings to let them look at it and it's ready to go.

It's just a historical document of what's happened the last five, six years of tornadoes, floods, ice storms, things like that.

Thank you.

Motion to approve.

Thank you, Cliff.

Thank you.

Commissioner Gable?

Yes.

Commissioner Canterbury, yes.

President Elpers.

Yes.

Letter E.

First reading of resolution number CO.r.6-2020.

I'm sorry.

Let's start over.

First reading of resolution number CO.r.

Six-N26-016, adopting a stormwater drainage control ordinance as chapter 13.04.

The goal here is just to do the first reading and then the final reading will be at the next meeting.

So that will give us some time if there's any minor changes that need to be looked at.

So motion to approve CO.06-26-016 on the first reading.

Commissioner Gable?

Commissioner Canterbury, yes.

Yes.

All right.

Moving on.

Head reports.

We're going to call it call up each department head.

And if you wouldn't mind, just give us some high level details.

And if there's anything forthcoming, or you want us to um, you know, be uh on the lookout for something, or you're looking to, you know, plan something ahead of time, or you got something long-term uh capital improvement.

Just let us know and get it out there, and then uh we can plan accordingly.

So first up is weights and measures.

Good morning.

Morning.

Uh Jacob Murphy, Chief Inspector for the Evansville, Vanderburgh County Department of Weights and Measures.

Uh budget this year's flat, no increases, and I don't want to jinx myself, but uh we're currently looking really good in regards to uh our equipment, our facility, our vehicles.

Uh we got two uh new inspectors that came over transferred in uh within the uh bargaining agreement, and they're doing fantastic uh picking up uh all the uh inspection tactics uh quickly and well and yeah, no complaints and barring anything uh unforeseen.

I I don't anticipate any sort of large uh financial requests going forward.

Anything, you know, a wish list item or anything wish list.

Uh, you know, if Evansville continues to grow and uh add gas stations and grocery stores, at some point we will need to uh buy some pretty expensive specialized equipment that'll allow us to do especially fuel inspections uh more quickly.

Um so that that's probably like a hundred thousand dollar request, but I'm gonna say that's maybe five, 10 years down the road.

Okay, good on vehicles?

Vehicles are great.

Yeah, go ahead, Commissioner Gable.

Uh Jacob, uh, your fuel to operate yourselves, your vehicles and that everything's okay with that right now.

Yeah, and you know, I think 23.

We got two new vehicles, and they are more fuel efficient than the 30-year-old vehicles that we had, and so we we've actually seen a little bit decrease in our fuel uh consumption, which has been nice, but okay.

Are you operating with uh a county program as far as uh joint fuels or use fill up when you need it anywhere?

Uh as we need it, but only the Pacific Pride uh heritage petroleum locations, yeah.

So it's especially right there.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah.

Any other questions?

I don't have anything else.

Okay, thank you.

Awesome.

Thank you.

Engineering department.

Come on back up, John.

On the upcoming bridge projects, we've got several of those that are currently under design and will go to construction the upcoming years.

Um next year, the bridge on Wimber will go to construction.

That's the bridge just east of St.

Joe Avenue.

It'll be built half at a time, and there'll be a there will be a temporary traffic signal installed there to allow traffic to pass through that area during the construction.

Uh we don't currently have a bridge slated for 2028, but like in the email I sent you, um, probably the best candidate for trying to get a project ready would be Broadway Avenue over Carpenter Creek.

That would be getting that project to construction uh after the completion of the Lloyd Expressway work, so that way all the traffic that's using Broadway as a detour wouldn't be impacted.

Um Lloyd would is supposed to be open again by then.

Um we also have projects planned on Home Road just east of Rosenberger.

That project again, it's been on hold due to the um Lloyd Expressway work.

We'll have to time that to make sure it doesn't coincide with work on Lloyd or on Broadway.

Um Ryan and the bridge project.

Hogue Hogs Bridge, yeah.

Okay.

Yeah, it's a little bridge just it's between Rosenberger and the end of the coals.

Is that where the elevations all kind of that it uh the bridge gets underwater periodically?

Um it's difficult little project to deal with because you can't really elevate the road without creating a dam that would potentially flood the properties on the north side.

So um I know Ryan and Lott Mueller have been trading emails on a potential design agreement to get that one started.

So we don't have a construction schedule on that, but we will be getting design started.

Um another bridge that is uh currently in the works is on old state road up between uh Wortman Road and US 41.

That one I believe it is set for 2030, and that has federal aid, and then also for 2029, we've got the rehab of the Darmstadt Road Bridge over the CSX tracks north of Mount Pleasant.

So those are the main bridge projects that are going to be coming up here in the near future.

Um John, staffing.

Are we okay in your department?

We've got a couple of vacancies still.

Okay.

One engineer and one inspector.

Where are we at on those?

Unfortunately, same place we've always been.

No good options at this point.

Okay.

As far as road projects, um, since they're being funded with the TIFF funds, they're not actually in this road and street highway and bridge budgets, but uh Petersburg Road will get reconstructed between Kansas and Boomden Harmony in the upcoming years, and then the final section of Oak Hill Road is planned to hopefully be ready for bidding by late next year.

That's the section from St.

George to Eastwood.

That would go to construction after the completion of the section that's currently under construction between Lynch and St.

George.

And then we've also got we're in the process of getting the final right-of-way parcel acquired on the Hornby Lane reconstruction.

That's between Creekside Meadows Subdivision and Green River Road.

It's a small little quarter-mile project.

None of those are like I said in the budgets because they're all funded with TIFF.

As far as pavings concerned, we just plugged in the same basic funding numbers we did for this year, plugged that in for 2027 again.

There should be another community crossings application period in September, so we can figure out at that point what projects we would want to do and submit for community crossings funds.

Um typically it takes a month or so to get the awards.

So the awards probably won't be made until October, and we have then three months to get a construction contract awarded.

So that would potentially push the community crossings paving into early 2027.

So it would come off of these funds.

Matching and requirements, those are all still the same for community crossings.

Right, it's still 50-50.

I know there's a changes that have been discussed, but there's been so many different versions of the summaries that I've seen that I honestly don't know what other funds might be available.

There's been talk of increased minimum distributions if you meet cert criteria, but I'm just not sure.

Overall, it should be still uh we'd be eligible for up to a million dollars, and we'd pay 50%, and the grant would pay 50%.

Back to staffing, uh, the two people that are the two opening positions, the salaries are what's the what's the salaries on those two?

The assistant engineer is budgeted at 73 953 for next year, and then the um construction assistant is 47828.

Okay.

Uh John, first of all, thank you and your department for really trying to do the great job as far as allowing people in Vanderburgh County and the city to drive from point A to point B, especially with all the other construction going on, and I know that is a massive headache for you and uh everyone.

If you don't uh do some of these projects and you lose the funding, kind of like the Broadway uh bridge right now, but you have worked this to the best of your ability, and we appreciate that very much.

Thanks.

Uh the other question I have is uh are we in good standing with community crossings as far as future funding that you are you aware of?

We should be.

Um the only two projects we haven't currently closed out with in dot are two under construction right now.

So we're current on all the prior project closeouts, and that's one of the primary things that comes into play as far as your eligibility for future projects.

And this is off the cup question, and you won't have that information, but with the moratorium right now and excise and sales tax for people pumping at the stations, that funding would usually go for roads and bridges.

Do you foresee a cutback as far as a state allowance for us to do our jobs here?

One of the numbers that was set at the conference I was at a couple of weeks ago said that uh statewide, they thought it might be reductions in 400 plus million dollars in revenues.

How that would be made up I'm not sure and how that would affect Vandenberg County individually.

Again there's no data out there that I'm aware of yet but it does sound like answer for that but it it's adds to the gloom a little bit as far as prospects doesn't it yeah it sounds like there will be an impact we just don't know how much okay well thank you.

Thanks John welcome appreciate all you do.

Yeah John will probably talk more about those two staffing positions open got some ideas and we're gonna run past you so commissioners anything else on John no okay thank you John next up highway department morning.

Morning how we doing pretty good yeah uh this is my first time so take it easy on it are you nervous?

Don't be nervous.

Not too bad.

So uh from what I understand the highway department hasn't asked for uh a raise in its budget in almost 10 years.

Um I'm asking for a little bit in a few of our items line items just because of the costs of everything going up in parts uh utilities equipment and whatnot it's nothing crazy but we'd like to try to help you know compensate some of the rises in what we have which which buckets you said onyx that you wanted uh increase on uh overtime yeah and that's only because we're only allotted to go up to two hundred and forty hours comp so everything over that is overtime so yeah most of the guys out there I would say 95% of them are at the max on their comp time so try to raise that up a little bit um materials that's another one okay salt you know asphalt rock anything that we need those prices have gone up as well so you or overtime's 15000 you want to bump that we didn't bump up much but let me take a quick look here we just bumped it up 10,000 say sorry bumped it up 1000 1000 more than what we I believe it was at 1000 we added 10 thousand to that to get it to 20.

Materials is at 1.5 million yeah so I think we bumped it up like 200,000 silly question but I know once they prices go up they very seldom come back down but have you seen any inkling that some of these costs like concrete and uh the asphalt materials are going to come down a little bit I don't think so the asphalt may I mean that depends on the I guess the oil prices but if it does it's not by very much.

When I first started 20 years ago it was 49 dollars a ton now it's a little over 80 so well you can say to that is shucks.

Yeah it just keeps going up utilities you know electric and whatnot that keeps going up as well.

Jeff you needed um a new heating system is that moving forward with some yeah so as I spoke to you about that we've been getting a few more quotes on it right now everything ranges between 70 and 80 thousand okay is now I I do have that via the I was guess it was the FEMA money.

Okay.

Is what we got.

Right.

I think they gave us a hundred and eighty-eight thousand for us to spend from what I understand is whatever we need.

Gotcha.

So you would take that and utilize that to pay down the uh the heating and the new I would definitely use that for that.

Um well once you get finished getting the quotes and um send those up you know we'll send them our way and then we'll go with the best quote then I'll let you take a look at them.

Okay sir um some of that other funds I'd like to use to try and upgrade the building as best we can.

Okay.

I we need new facilities pretty bad out there but I understand that you know we're never gonna have that happen at least not anytime soon.

So the more we get you know to update the building um the better off we'll be and I'm saying up to we're looking at new windows I'd really like to see some new windows a lot of them are broke we've got them carboarded up they're old they're the originals right um we really need some as as sir you and I have talked about property to put our waste disposal and I'm not saying garbage it's everything that we dig up from asphalt to concrete to dirt we've we've got to start getting a location to put those things at we're very limited right now very limited got another location idea so I'll talk about it so yeah always keep my eyes peeled.

It's too bad the one didn't work out with the Levy authority that was I thought that was nice.

One enough room there so that's okay though.

Perennial question I know you're gonna have to answer with the council but how are we doing on salt supplies for the upcoming year?

Um we're maxed out right now on what we have so we're good to go we put it the same as last year a bit of 3500 ton I guess this year going into next year so we should be okay.

That big storm that we had this this past one wiped us out pretty good but I think we're fine on that.

Okay.

Well Jeff you done nice job out there um cleaned up the place um uh just you found a nice job keep up the good work so uh commissioners will be in touch with you on on some of these items so yeah not a problem yeah you got anything else for us I think that's it okay commissioners anything okay thank you Jeff thank you Joe Health Department good morning um couple of the budgets I'd like to talk a little bit about uh the health fund excuse me eleven fifty nine um we actually only increased that by five thousand dollars on a 3.8 million dollar budget that's about one tenth of one percent so uh we we wanted to keep that one pretty level um with council's request to to keep budgets level 1159 we actually went down I'm sorry eleven sixty one which is our HFI funding which we get from the state um that comes directly from the um the Indiana General Assembly's um general fund and so that funding as you know was cut at the last budget session about 76 percent we pivoted stopped hiring stopped using some of that money and so the money we did receive in the first couple years we were have been able to now uh keep our budget fairly level for 26 and 27 um good news uh the governor has publicly even said that he wants to increase funding for public health so we believe that this HI5 funding will hopefully go up some I doubt it goes back up to the previous levels but maybe incrementally over time we would see those increases uh which will definitely allow us to expand what we do um at the health department and and provide the programs that we provide so um those are the big two two items and we're optimistic uh about this next uh budget session at the state level um for that everything else is going really well we continue to apply for numerous grants uh either through the health department or through the foundation for better health, which is uh a local nonprofit that uh helps find funding that is not available to government agencies uh that comes from different sources, but then supports the health department programs.

So through that foundation, we're able to to bring in uh some money as well so um always always looking under all the rocks.

So we appreciate that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's pretty safe right now as far as grants.

That's a good question.

Actually, yes, uh, we just received information from the state that uh the TANF funding that we're receiving will is secured through September of 2027.

So the next at least 15 months or so uh after that, we're we continue to look for other sources.

Um we're hoping over the next several years that uh we find a way to uh go through a process where three to three becomes an evidence-based program, and that and then if that can happen, then we're looking at national funders, uh things like the McD McVee Foundation, uh different large organizations that would over time uh fund that program in perpetuity.

So that's that's the goal there.

Um, but I actually didn't have a whole lot to do with that.

Uh Commissioner Gable.

It was you know, just uh Dr.

Spear was the driving force there.

I just want to make that clear.

So we've been in the people some of the time, yeah.

It's a it's a good it's a good team, yeah.

Absolutely.

So thank you.

Great work.

I don't have any other questions.

All right, thank you.

Yeah, Purdue Extension.

Good morning.

Um, so we have some changes to our budget, and so I want to give you some updates and background to explain kind of why we had some uh changes in our budget for this year.

Um, so over the last several years, Purdue Extension has looked really deeply into how we can be sustainable, both financially and with our um evolving research-based high-quality programming that we provide.

And so one of those um decisions was to move to a regional-based model, which a lot of organizations in a lot of the states with extension have are doing as well or have already done.

Um, but within that, looking more at our regional model, it meant that we needed to look at how we were doing contractual services with our counties, and so instead of going on a personnel-based contractual services, we wanted to move to a regional-based contractual services.

Um, and so as they were looking at how they formulate contractual services, they realized that the model didn't really make a lot of sense.

And so they have moved to a tiered population-based model for our contractual services, and part of that as well in looking at how our how our funding will come.

Um, it didn't make sense anymore for like our educators who are now going to be regional educators, um, for them to have the travel and computers and things like that through the counties.

So they are using contractual services to to pay for computer and travel um and professional development.

So those line items have decreased because of that because that will be absorbed into the contractual services.

Um, and our contractual services number is based on that tiered population system.

So that did increase about 60,000 for this year, just in all every county has a little bit of a different number based on that.

That's a very high level explanation of what's going on.

But we're excited because it'll allow us to bring more expertise and more of our really high quality programs, bigger impactful programs to our counties.

Is uh the Purdue extension um are there are they going to be um planning if this does not go through?

We I do not such a big jump.

It is um yes, there are from what I understand um there's some other thought processes um as far as what is feasible and what can be you know still help us to operate.

Got it.

Yeah, but I don't have specific numbers on that.

We just need to be prepared for that.

Absolutely.

Yes, I am prepared.

It's a pretty big jump for us.

Usually we have just a couple thousand every year.

So yeah, but we want to make sure that we're continuing to be able to provide the great programs and services that and and better, like we're really hoping this will help bring bigger and better things.

Understandable.

Yeah.

Commissioners, anything else?

Okay.

Thank you.

Thanks for coming today.

Thank you.

Morning.

Zach Zach Watham, Burdett Park Director.

Um, I wanted to start off with um just a couple of updates on things at the pool and some numbers that we've gotten back now that season pass sales.

Um some people are still buying them, but that's pretty much cooled down just because we're already almost a month into the season.

Um so year to date, we might have a a couple more trickle in, but we are uh in season passes so far this year, over eighty-five thousand dollars in season passes, uh, which is our second highest total in park history only to 2024.

Um so um I was I was really optimistic.

I thought we would uh I thought we would surpass 2024, but I think there were some people that were frustrated with last year's weather.

Um so bought a season pass last year, and then obviously um several rain closures and mud slide closures.

So um, but uh but still very pleased, 85,000 with the second uh highest total ever.

Um as far as the budget goes, um in that number is I just want to give a shout out to my staff.

Um, you know, it's it they do an incredible job.

Um, yes, we've had cooperative weather this year.

We've already saw over 25,000 people come through the gates.

Um, but uh the staff out there does such a good job.

The product is good and they do a good job maintaining the park and putting on a good uh product for the general public.

So they're the reason that number exists.

Um but uh as far as the budget goes, a couple small incremental um increases.

Um a lot of those are to reflect um some upcoming contractual renewals, um, one being uh with Vestis uniforms.

Um if you guys remember, and I know Ryan was instrumental in helping us with this because we did not have a good experience to first go around with Vestis.

Um, and uh they were able to get us better terms um with them for our linens and also our uh jeans for our union guys.

Um but we do have that uh negotiation negotiation coming up.

We'll keep you guys in the loop on that in March.

Um so we did increase our linen's line um by five thousand dollars.

Uh another one, uh again, most of these are five, ten thousand dollar increases.

Um another one is the communications line that that supports things in the park like um anything digital, Wi-Fi.

Um we look to in 2027 get away from um we still have standard direct TV boxes and satellites out there.

Um one big thing we plan to overhaul in 27 is switching over to streaming boxes or streaming apps um by way of a contractual agreement.

We've already talked with Spectrum and also ATT.

So we're exploring our options there, but that that'll come out of that line.

Um that's why there is a ten thousand dollar increase in that line because based on those preliminary discussions, I don't believe I do believe that it that contr contractual agreement will increase.

Um other ones just kind of like Jeff said with the highway, uh cost of materials has gone up, especially pool chemicals.

Um, you know, when I started, we were spending anywhere from 20 to 25,000 um on pool chemicals.

Um and um, you know, it it's it's went up almost twofold.

So that's another one of the lines we increased.

Um and then some other small ones, just uniforms, which you know help sustain, you know, staffing shirts, stuff like that, solid waste disposal, that's an in the that's a reflection of the increase for our um high occupancy rates, but then also the uh cost to get our dumpster um and uh sterile supplies for our EMT shack picked up.

House commissioners?

Zach, Zach, you know off the top of your head how many employees does Burdett have working for them.

So total right now, including part-time, right just probably south of a hundred and fifty.

That includes guards and workers of the pool.

Yes, sir.

That would include the 20 year round part-timers, um, the 10 full-timers.

Uh we've got about 85 lifeguards, another 50 concessions kids, um, and then some management tiers mixed in there as well.

Some security positions, and then also some EMTs.

So I would say on ballpark, and I'd say somewhere around the 150.

Thank you.

That's that's really a good sign or good impact on the local community hiring younger people who need jobs and a great great setting.

So thank you.

Zach, great work.

Keep it up.

Um we also are extending this poll season a little bit, right?

This year.

Yes, sir.

So um, yeah, we um the calendar did fall in our favor a little bit.

Um, you know, and I've got my thoughts about what EVSC should do, but I will I'll leave that for.

I did write a letter um several years ago.

You guys know me.

How much I'll sing like a canary.

Um, but but no, um I the the calendar did fall in our favor, but also again, we have um uh adequate staffing too, so it does allow us, you know, the college kids that are going back.

Um we can kind of bring some younger kids up to why they go back and move back to the university.

So um we are also um if you guys remember hosting Amcor once again, which is our biggest client, um, which which is really refreshing.

We did lose um a couple of our bigger clients just for the year we're being told, except SRG because they no longer are in Evansville.

Um and that's just kind of some restructuring because of their budgetary issues.

Um, so but we we anticipated 27 all of them coming back, but we do have AMCOR still this year, and we just home hosted um the plumbers union and the roofers union this past weekend.

So, gotcha went really well.

You got somebody picking up the phone and reaching out to some big company to see if they'd be wanting to you know at the place.

We did, yeah.

We've got um two new ones um on tap.

It was really weird, like a lot of these places had already booked with us, and then so those dates were taken.

And so we thought, you know, we had the calendar filled up, and then um kind of March, it seemed like a lot of them reality hit and they were gonna have to cut some employee appreciation type stuff.

Uh, but most of them, especially Sabic, we've kept a good relationship with them.

We're still giving them discounted passes um to kind of keep that extend that uh you know um relationship.

But no, we have uh Romain Automotive is one of the new ones we added this year.

Um and then also we have the diocese of Evansville is another new one we added.

Um we partnered once again with 911 gives hope.

So we are trying to get other than just uh manufacturing and industrial picnics.

So uh, but no, we'll fill it up next year.

We'll make more calls when we know exactly what the calendar looks like.

That's great, Zach.

Yeah, great work.

Okay, thank you guys.

Have a good day, Zach.

How's the baby?

Zach, how's the baby?

Ten months old, still not asleep, but last ups uh Vandenberg County soil and water.

Anybody make it?

Did not it's okay.

Veterans Services could not make it today.

We'll be in touch.

Computer services could not make it.

We'll be in touch, and then superintendent county buildings.

Laura is on vacation.

We know where she sits.

So we'll talk to her.

Yeah.

Uh commissioners, any new business?

None.

I see none.

Old business, old business we already took care of at the beginning.

Uh, we are again, we are going to table that to June 30th.

We need to hammer out some more details.

Uh moving on to letter or I'm sorry, number eight consent items.

Any discussion there, or is there a motion to approve?

So moved.

Kamishka Gable.

Yes.

Mr.

Canterbury, yes.

President Overst.

Yes.

And then uh Madeline, does anybody sign up for public comment or anything?

No.

Does anybody want to come up and address the commissioners?

Miscellaneous?

Nothing.

I see none.

Okay.

Do we have a motion to adjourn?

So moved.

Next up is drainage.

Well, I see this.

I think that's a good one.

Give him a little bit of a stuff.

You can have it all out, but I don't know.

I thought I'd go to the buttons.

Yeah, it's better.

Okay.

That lucky one.

Yeah, yeah.

I should do what I should do yesterday.

Yeah, or I can't.

I know it's actually the quote.

Well, I'm sorry.

Oh, you have to wait.

Seems like it always is.

This one regarding it.

Like if you have to take a screen, it's really like an issue.

I mean, honestly, it's a big one.

I don't think so.

Okay.

Yeah, we've got to look at that.

No, I think it's a problem.

I mean, I think that's a good question.

But something looking at you, it's true.

Um, I mean, uh, so I'm just curious.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, that's just a music.

Okay, we found something about that.

I don't know.

I just didn't look at it.

Well, I mean, I'll have it to be good.

I mean, you need to be that piercing, it's perfect.

And you wouldn't let me start slightly strength.

But um yeah, Kevin and I just want to make it.

Yeah, so it's not the first one, not just what that's the other people.

They have been possible.

So, it's a little yeah.

This is just like it's a little bit more.

But uh, we're not like they're gonna have to keep track of it's not a car, but uh yeah, shopping questions.

That's I think that's what we can use to keep track of instead of creating one.

You're there.

I see three or four car.

Morning.

We're going to call to order the Vanderburg County Drainage Board meeting for June sixteenth, twenty twenty six.

My oldest daughter's birthday.

Happy birthday, Courtney.

Happy birthday, Courtney.

Let's get it on the record.

It's really embarrassing.

How oh, well, I won't.

Teenager.

Oh, no.

Oh, no.

Thank you for that.

Oh, yeah, there you go.

33.

So, how do you spell her name?

So I can think of it.

Okay.

She's going to be in the record.

All right.

So, do I have a motion to approve the previous minutes?

Second.

Oh, we didn't do the Pledge of Allegiance.

I am so sorry.

I got so excited.

Let's do it to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands.

So now do we have a motion for approval of the previous minutes?

Motion to approve.

Yes.

All right, Miss Linda, application to effect a Vanderburg County regulated drain, Harper.

Another poll was found that needed to be replaced.

I asked the board for a motion to approve and to add the application with the plan sheet to the record.

And Madeline has those documents for your signatures after your approval, hopefully.

Okay.

Any questions, anyone?

So that makes sense to me.

Okay.

Commissioner Albert.

Yes.

Commissioner Gable?

Yes.

President Canterbury.

Yes.

All right.

Thank you.

Uh, Ditch claims since the last meeting of May the 12th, 2026, there have been seven claims submitted in the amount of $13,244.74 cents.

These claims are for work awarded in 2026 and I asked the board for a motion to approve these submitted claims retroactively and there is a table on the other side for your reference if you so desire.

Just our basic usual I think we're having questions or yeah we're mowing we're out there mowing our contractors are.

Motion to approve Commissioner Helpers?

Yes.

Commissioner Gable?

President Canterbury, yes.

Okay.

Just on the informational side Pigeon Creek Watershed Development Commission, the next meeting will be held on Monday July 27th 2026 at 10 o'clock right here in this room.

We were expecting Mark Norman but obviously he's not here today but um apparently he had contacted Mike and we have reached out to the other property owners that were at the not at the meeting and they were willing to work towards a solution.

My deputy Mike Ward has tried numerous times to reach someone with the U.S.

Army Corps of engineers to obtain information as what can be accomplished within the jurisdictional streams and as of yesterday we have not received a response so we're kind of in limbo there as to what can or cannot be accomplished within that stream and then I guess I mean do we need have we done our due diligence with them and then maybe a lady or the board yeah with a right with something from the board help or I mean with the US Corps of engineers it's um I don't know we've reached out to two or three different we've reached out to the folks that we've reached out to before I couldn't tell you their names right off the top of my head.

It's usually been we've tried a couple different people and reiterated it to it's just frustrating that we have the buy-in from all the neighbors and owners and now we don't have a resolution and well we yeah we don't have the core has so I don't know if maybe we do need to send maybe a formal letter asking we had this you know maybe that we've had an obstruction would you like to come from the board or from I was um just we'd like a response and then maybe um you know how those attorneys if they see that letter head you know sometimes it's like oh it's important I mean I hate to say that but I actually had a friend of mine uh uh her father wasn't uh a lawyer and she's an accountant she goes I don't know what it is you know my dad can send something out and instant but if I send the same letter it's cricket well let's get together on uh some proposed language and try to find uh the right contacts to send it to we'll send it to as many as we can as many names as we can find right so and then you know go back to the office here and there might be a response I don't know but I'll let you know is if we do receive something but like said we have reached out we Commissioner Canterbury just want to send something with our letter head on it and our signature whomever let's I think that's start there and then hopefully we shouldn't have to escalate with attorney letter because it's not really I mean it we it would be legal action you know yeah it wouldn't be like we're saying it would be a fidget it would just you know I mean is he making phone calls or email no we've sent emails okay just no response and just no response okay we'll Commissioner Canterbury want to just send we'll send a letter and send a letter from the board we'll be on it say hey we're important you're looking for uh advice or how to yeah what what can happen what we can tell the other the uh property owners that are willing to do work what can they do within those banks or even outside those banks where we're kind of like we're not sure and we sure as heck don't want to yeah we we have a problem we have a solution.

Yeah, we've got we don't know if it works we don't know if it's allowed though.

Yeah, we don't want to got everybody to pardon.

Or what they're doing.

What we can do because the core domain.

Why don't you draft it?

Send it over to Craig.

He makes sure it looks okay.

Craig and Laura or Rachel can put our letter head on it we send it off.

Okay.

Thank you.

Uh and I would like to say thank you for the um approval of the uh encroachment agreement for the USGS stream gauge.

We'll get that out.

Mamma will get that to us and then we'll get that stream gauge started and woohoo.

What all I saw all the list of things that it measures, but I forget what all it's mostly water quality and water quantity, quantity.

Quantity quality bumps you up to a super stream gauge.

Or stup uh stupid super gauge, and those you can do those, but you're gonna be throwing a lot more money at it.

Okay, I thought I didn't see that.

It would be cool to have turbidity and and some of the dissolved uh you know stuff, the dissolved gases and things, but that will at least tell us how much water is coming in.

This will get us, you know, and we haven't had a stream gauge in Vanderburg County since what the late 80s, and that was on the Highway 41 bridge.

Yes.

Um, so this would be cool.

As long as I've known uh Cliff through my red cross day, so that's been well, he's uh he's been asking for that.

Yeah, and I'd really honestly I I'm gonna throw this out here.

Um I'd really like to work with Warwick County and maybe get one a little further upstream in Warwick County, maybe like at Stevenson Station Road, that would give uh that would give it would be very beneficial to Vanderburgh County to know what's coming and then we could compare.

But yeah, we you know, but I mean if the Pigeon Creek watershed development commission would be willing to pay for it, I don't know.

I mean, basically all we'd have to do is get an agreement from Warwick County for an attachment to their uh you know their bridge, so Craig.

Maybe that's the start of a beautiful relationship, right?

So it could be yes, I think that that could be the opening.

Um could be the opening door that we need.

So I just wanted to confirm that once we get USGS's signature, I assume we want that recorded.

Yes, okay.

Yeah, I think that would be very good for the to have that for posterity.

So as soon as she gets it all taken care of, scans it or sends it to us, we'll send it to our contacts with the USGS, and then I'm if they're cool with it, I they'll sign and send it back, and we'll be motoring on down the road with that.

I think justin went well, a couple weeks, maybe a week a month.

They said they were ready to go.

They're ready to go.

So and I can talk to you, talk to me after this about if they have any concerns because I think the commission could contract with USGS if they have concerns about any of the indemnity and whole harmless clauses in there.

Right.

Yeah, but we did so Linda the board, they're gonna look into the maybe the extra gauge possible.

I'm gonna I'm gonna look into that.

Present it to them as well.

Um, is something that uh I've talked with Karen Barnhill and then Justin, of course, in our office because he's that they're right there for me to chat with.

Um, but yeah, and then if we can get another 205J grant, that would help.

And then the USGS also has some grant type funding things.

I'm not sure.

I think their stuff's is their fiscal year the same as the calendar year, or do they have a different?

I can't remember, but we we'd look into grant money and stuff for that as well.

So can't hurt.

No, it'd be great.

Yeah.

So thank you for that.

And there's obviously no one here to buy a public comment.

There's nobody's here for public comment.

You good with everything on the list?

Okay, I'll make a motion to adjourn.

Thank you, Linda.

Thank you, Linda.

Yeah